First Flights with Neil Armstrong

Season 1

Season 1 traces the development of aviation technology from balloons to early post-WWII jet aircraft.
Where to Watch Season 1
13 Episodes
  • By the Seat of Their Pants
    E1
    Episode 1By the Seat of Their PantsUsing Lilienthal's glider research, the Wright brothers achieved controlled flight. The French reacted with renewed effort and Bleriot crossed the English Channel. Each airplane had its own personality and a pilot flew by his wits, instinct and luck.
  • Every Day a Better Design
    E2
    Episode 2Every Day a Better DesignAviators separated into two groups: the airplane designer/builders and those who tried to master the art of flying. While French pilot Pegoud thrilled crowds by performing aerial loops, new airplanes pushed the bounds of speed and distance.
  • Flying Aces, War in the Air
    E3
    Episode 3Flying Aces, War in the AirWW1 gave the airplane a job, soon the battlefields were full of unarmed aircraft, peering down at the trenches, then carrying news of an impending attack. With a machine gun mounted on the cowling of a Morane-Saulnier Bullet, the fighter plane was born.
  • Flying Entrepreneurs
    E4
    Episode 4Flying EntrepreneursAfter the war, seasoned pilots who had once dueled with an enemy over the trenches, now performed aerobatics for spectators. Aviators as barnstormers quickly became an endearing folk hero; and also businessman carrying mail and passengers.
  • Flying the Mail
    E5
    Episode 5Flying the MailAirmail pioneers demonstrated that airplanes had a bright commercial future. The variety of aircraft was dazzling -- anything with wings was put to use. But conditions were harsh and pilots had to be hardy and brave to risk flying the mail.
  • Backyard Fliers: An Airplane in Every Garage
    E6
    Episode 6Backyard Fliers: An Airplane in Every GarageIn the 1920s when just about anyone could afford a car, interest grew in a safe, inexpensive airplane that anyone could fly. Convenience went a step further in roadable aircraft -- vehicles that could travel the highways, then convert to an airplane.
  • First in Speed: Air Racing
    E7
    Episode 7First in Speed: Air RacingFrom the early years of flight until the late 1930s, air racing was the single most important testing ground for engineering advancements. It provided a breathtaking combination of daredevil risk taking and technological innovation..
  • Bigger is Better
    E8
    Episode 8Bigger is BetterDuring the 1920's and 30's, designers believed that bigger is better. Airline companies were formed, requiring larger, more comfortable airplanes. With the limitations of early airfields for large planes, the flying boat became the queen of the sky.
  • Fighters Between the Wars
    E9
    Episode 9Fighters Between the WarsNazi Germany and Imperial Japan redefined the arts of aerial warfare with their revolutionary aircraft designs. As the storm clouds gathered for the Second World War, the rest of the world slowly began to rise to the challenge.
  • Testing Under Fire
    E10
    Episode 10Testing Under FireThe first German WW2 air attacks destroyed most old biplane fighters. The Allies responded with new monoplane designs. Britain with the Hurricane and Spitfire. The US mobilized designers and builders and produced an incredible range of aircraft.
  • New Generation of Flyers
    E11
    Episode 11New Generation of FlyersAmerican industry entered the competition to create the world's best fighter -- one that was faster and carried more armament. A dramatic increase in horsepower produced the P-47 Thunderbolt, often claimed to be the fastest fighter of the war.
  • Air Battles At Sea
    E12
    Episode 12Air Battles At SeaLight, maneuverable and capable of flying long distances, the Japanese Zero was the ideal air weapon for the island hopping Pacific war. While the Japanese built fleets of light, replaceable aircraft, the Americans opted for large, high-powered war birds.
  • Flash of Glory: Aerial Combat Enters the Jet Age
    E13
    Episode 13Flash of Glory: Aerial Combat Enters the Jet AgeDuring WWII, the Messerschmitt 262, and the Gloster Meteor were introduced. With these first operational jet fighters, a new era in aerial combat had begun. As jet met jet over Korea, the MiG-15 proved Russia to be a a major power in jet development.
Cast of Season 1
  • Neil ArmstrongHost
 
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